
PROBLEMS WITH SCENARIO COMPATIBILITY
in PIBWL 1.5 / Steel Panthers 1 improvement pack.

*This is an extract from the main document "main.rtf"*

The pack is available at http://derela.republika.pl

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1. Old scenarios played with modified SP-1 / PIBWL:

Our improved data files for Steel Panthers-I are about 99% compatible with the original data files, which means, that most scenarios from the original SP-1 will work correctly with our improved version.	

The only exception are scenarios employing one of very few units, which we have changed to another unit. From the reasons explained below, such units may appear with wrong icon, armour and weapons.

They are mostly the cases of replacing a wrong unit with some correct one. Such original units were historically inaccurate, and should not be in the game at all (e.g. Romanian Tiger; Soviet SU-45, and some others).

	There were also a few cases, when we decided to replace a correct unit, but marginally used, with more typical or more attractive one (due to a lack of space in data files).
	Fortunately, they are not popular units in scenarios - such as: some of Chinese and French (post-1943) mortars and guns, German 76 and 122mm batteries, Romanian 122mm battery, Soviet 305mm support, some of Yugoslavian trucks, and a few others 
	(some of these units are not deleted permanently from the game, because they are still available to choose, taken from the other nation. For example, we replaced French and Chinese 37mm AT-guns with only one gun with nationality "US", which is "accepted" by the game for both countries. As for units, like German 122mm battery, although it can't be chosen normally, it's still made available to buy in a scenario editor).

	It seems, that the only such unit, appearing in original game scenarios, is Soviet SU-45 tank destroyer, which has been replaced by us with KV-8 flame-tank. SU-45 was erroneous unit, because it remained a prototype only (also Romanian infantry in some scenario has machine guns with a few shots only, and grenades with 0 shots, because there were grenades in a place of MG's originally - but it doesn't prevent the Romanians from winning this scenario ;-) 

	The problems are caused by the fact, that when a scenario is run, the game apparently takes some data for the scenario from the actual data files.

	These data are:
		- symbol (icon)
		- armour
		- weapons (and, of course, weapons' data)

	If these data have changed in the actual data file, the scenario will get the new values, which may not correspond with an old unit employed in a scenario. As a result, e.g. SU-45 will appear with an icon of KV, armour=10 and armed with a flamethrower (the number of ammo is taken from a scenario, therefore it may not be "compatible" with the weapon as well).

	In case of an appearance of such "modified" units in a scenario, you should simply change them to other, similar units (e.g. T-26 tank), using the scenario editor (option: "Change Unit to a Different Type")

	The similar thing could be with Italian M-11/39 tank - I've changed its weapons order so that it shoots to enemy tanks with a gun instead of a MG at last :-)
  If this tank is in a scenario, it may have improper ammo numbers, so it also should be changed in a scenario editor to an actual M-11/39. The simpler solution is to use option: "Modify unit's data" to modify its ammo only.

Of course, similar problems may appear, if you use the scenarios created using third-party modified data files for SP-1, containing units, that are not existing in our data files.


2. Newly-created scenarios played with an original SP-1

Unfortunately, the same mechanism affects the proper work of new scenarios, created with SP-1 /PIBWL, and then being played in old, unmodified Steel Panthers.

The problems may concern three things:
	
a)	If you employ a newly created unit in your scenario; and then play it with an old Steel Panthers, such unit will have no armour and no weapons - because it doesn't exist in the old data file. It will also have an icon #0 (grey PzKpfw-I tank)
If such unit is replacing the old one in a file, this data would be simply incorrect.

 - worse solution: Not use newly added units (listed on our page http://derela.republika.pl/new.htm) in scenarios, which you wish to spread out; or change them to the older similar units in a scenario editor (option: "Change Unit to a Different Type")

 - better solution:  spread your new scenarios with a copy of our pack together, or/and write in scenario description, that it needs PIBWL pack to show the best :-)


The other two problems are marginal:

b)	If you use an old unit, which has a weapon changed, in such a scenario, and then play it with old Steel Panthers - it will probably still have the old weapon.

c)	Some existing units received new kinds of ammunition (for example: HVAP and HE for British 6 Pdr). If you use such weapon in a scenario played in old SP-1, such ammo won't work, because it doesn't exist in the old file.

Of course, you can change such ammo to the other kind ("Modify Unit's Data") - but the better solution is just to spread your new scenarios with a copy of our pack, or/and with an information about it.


write:
pibwl(at)poczta.onet.pl

